David T. Schaller
Department of Geography
University of Minnesota
In order to understand the role of the International Wolf Center
in Ely tourism, we must first have a general picture of tourism
in the area. This section offers both this necessary exposition
as well as a look at some details of tourism visitation. The main
areas of focus are crude economic impacts, visitor demographic
and socioeconomic characteristics, and vacation behavior.
Tourism is clearly a dominant economic and social activity in
the Ely area, though competing estimates of the number of tourists
to visit Ely annually make it difficult even to approximate its
economic impact. The Ely Chamber of Commerce estimates 250,000
visitors a year, while estimates derived from this study range
around 160,000.1 (This latter figure, however, does
not include cabin owners who spend more than one month per year
in the area.)
If, as the survey indicates, tourists spends an average of $110
during their stay, total tourist expenditures range between $18
million and $27 million. The IMPLAN input-output model indicates
a multiplier of about 2.2 for tourism-related activities. For
St. Louis and Lake counties, then, a crude estimate of total regional
effects generated by tourism might range from $40 to $60 million.
As noted previously, Ely's main tourist attractions are the
area's lakes and forests. The main activities which draw tourists
to the area are fishing, canoeing, and camping (Table 1). Other
reasons for visiting Ely include hiking, visiting the IWC, and,
in the winter, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
Table 1.--Main Reason for Visiting
Ely
All Ely Tourists
n=641
|
Fishing
|
30%
|
|
Canoeing
|
30%
|
|
Camping
|
9%
|
|
Hiking
|
5%
|
|
IWC
|
4%
|
|
Relaxing/Being with family or friends
|
5%
|
|
Winter Sports
|
7%
|
|
Other*
|
10%
|
*Includes shopping, sightseeing, etc.
The economic impact a tourist may have on her destination area
depends in large part on where she chooses to sleep. Resorts charge
an average of $60 to $65 per night for a cabin or room, most motels
charge about $50 to $55, and campgrounds charge between $8 and
$20 per night. Sleeping in the backcountry costs visitors nothing.
The choice a tourist makes for lodging is, in turn, affected in
part by her reason for visiting Ely. A look at the two main activities
which draw tourists to Ely reveals this clearly (Table 2). Respondents
who cited fishing as their main reason for visiting Ely were most
likely to stay at a lake resort, while the majority of canoeists
stayed in the backcountry.
Table 2.--Type of Lodging According
to Type of Tourist
|
Type of Accommodation
|
Fishermen (217)
|
Canoeists (209)
|
|
Resort
|
39%
|
11%
|
|
Backcountry
|
13%
|
59%
|
|
Campground
|
17%
|
11%
|
|
Private Cabin
|
13%
|
5%
|
|
Motel/B&B;
|
6%
|
7%
|
|
Day Trip
|
8%
|
4%
|
|
Home of friend/relative
|
4%
|
2%
|
These results would suggest that fishermen have a much greater
economic impact on the area than do canoeists, since they must
pay more for their lodging. Indeed, fishing parties spend twice
as much in the area as do canoeing parties (Table 3). Nevertheless,
fishermen account for only 43% of all tourist expenditures in
the Ely area, compared to 34% for canoeists. This difference is
smaller than might be expected, partly because nearly 30% of canoeists
cite motels, B&Bs; or campgrounds as their main type of lodging.
Also, many canoeists who camp in the backcountry may also rent
a room or cabin before or after their backcountry trip. Among
backcountry campers (not strictly canoeists), 36% said they spent
at least one night in a motel, B&B; or resort in the Ely area,
and another 17% said they stayed in a campground in addition to
their time in the backcountry. The average stay at these lodgings
was 1.5 nights.
Table 3.--Tourist Expenditures by Type
of Tourist
|
|
Median expenditures
per person per day
|
Median group
expenditures
|
Percentage of
all tourist
expenditures
|
|
Fishermen (217)
|
$25
|
$500
|
43%
|
|
Canoeists (209)
|
$16
|
$250
|
34%
|
|
Campers (92)
|
$13
|
$100
|
5%
|
|
Hikers (44)
|
$20
|
$118
|
4%
|
|
Other* (86)
|
--
|
--
|
14%
|
|
All Ely Tourists
|
$24
|
$300
|
--
|
*Skiers, snowmobilers, tourists in Ely to relax, or to see family,
friends or the IWC.
The majority (59%) of Ely tourists are Minnesota residents, and
almost half (47%) of all tourists traveled less than 300 miles
to visit Ely. Over 28% of all tourists came from the Twin Cities
metropolitan area. However, tourists also came from all parts
of the United States, and from several foreign countries as well,
including Germany and Australia. Figure 1 displays tourist origins.2
Clearly, Ely is predominantly a regional attraction. About half
of all tourists represented here are from Minnesota. The nearby
states of Iowa, Wisconsin, and northern Illinois are the sources
for another large proportion of tourists.
Figure 1.--Tourist Origins
Source: International Wolf Center Visitor's Register 1995
Despite the regional nature of visitation, Ely is also a national
destination. Every state including Alaska and Hawaii (though not
shown here) is represented, and there are several notable concentrations,
such as Colorado's Front Range, in areas more than 1000 miles
away. Texas and Florida are surprisingly well represented, perhaps
by retirees, either traveling the country in recreational vehicles
or visiting family in Minnesota. Although the map indicates that
high percentages of tourists come from urban areas, this may merely
be due to higher population densities in those areas. A map which
normalizes the data by population is necessary to show whether
higher percentages of tourists come from certain areas (Figure
2).
Figure 2.--Tourist Origins: Midwest
Source: International Wolf Center Visitor's Register 1995
Location Quotient=Area's share of regional tourists/Area's share
of regional populatin
Clearly, the strength of tourist source areas decreases with
distance, though virtually all of Minnesota remains very well
represented. It is interesting to compare the high proportions
of Ely tourists from the central cities of Minneapolis and St.
Paul with low representation from central Chicago. The difference
probably reflects socio-economic differences between the two urban
populations which affect recreation choices. In contrast, Chicago's
suburbs are very well represented, especially considering the
distance tourists must travel. The median distance traveled for
all Ely tourists was 375 miles, but fishermen and canoeists were
apt to come from more distant places while campers (and hikers,
with a median distance traveled of 255 miles) were more likely
to live closer to Ely (Figure 3). These differences may point
to the BWCA's reputation as a premier destination for fishing
and canoeing. Indeed, nearly one-quarter of fishermen and canoeists
traveled more than 1000 miles to visit Ely, testifying to the
area's national stature.
Figure 3.--Distance Traveled to Ely
By Type of Tourist
|
|
Similarly, tourists who stayed at resorts and in the backcountry
tended to travel greater distances to visit the Ely area. The
median distance traveled by resort guests was 550 miles, and for
backcountry visitors it was 425 miles--both much higher than the
median of 375 miles for all visitors. Perhaps as a result of these
longer distances traveled, fishermen and canoeists tended to stay
longer than did other tourists once in the Ely area. The median
length of stay for all tourists was five nights, with fishermen
and canoeists staying for five and six nights, respectively, while
campers and hikers stayed for a median of only three nights. Socioeconomic
profiles also vary depending on the type of vacation taken. The
most notable differences are in education (Figure 4). Among the
four groups analyzed, fishermen tend to have lower levels of education
than do the others. Canoeists have the highest education levels,
with 39% indicating graduate school work, compared to 19% for
fishermen and 30% and 32% for hikers and campers, respectively.
Fishermen, however, more closely resemble profiles for the population
of Minnesota as a whole than do other kinds of tourists. About
22% of state residents 25 years and older have a college degree
(1990 Census of Population and Housing:88); for fishermen the
figure is twice that (44%), while for canoeists it is more than
three times that percentage (70%).
|
It is interesting to note that higher education does not fully
translate into higher incomes (Figure 5). While only 19% of fishermen
had undertaken graduate work, 34% of all fishermen had household
incomes of $60,000 or more (almost a 1:2 ratio); compare this
to canoeists, of whom 39% had graduate school experience, yet
only 42% had household incomes $60,000 or more (nearly a 1:1 ratio).
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All of these groups, however, have substantially higher income
profiles than does the state-wide population (Figure 6). Almost
45% of state households have incomes between $20,000 and $40,000
annually, and less than 45% have annual household incomes greater
than $40,000 (1990 Census of Population:78). In contrast, among
fishermen and campers, 65% have household incomes of more than
$40,000, and for canoeists the figure is 74%. Clearly, Ely tourists
have higher incomes as well as higher levels of education than
does the state population as a whole. Furthermore, Ely tourists
have higher income levels than do tourists throughout the state
(residents and non-residents). These higher incomes, then, are
associated not just with tourists, but with tourists to Ely.
Sources:
1990 Census of Population, Social and Economic Characteristics:78
Minnesota Office of Tourism Customer Profile
Tourists are also distinguished according to the types of lodging
at which they stay (Table 4). Since each lodging type best accommodates
certain activities, some of the results of this type of analysis
are not surprising. For example, 63% of those visiting the backcountry
cited canoeing as their main activity. Resorts clearly cater to
fishermen, while motels/B&Bs; were the only type of lodging where
winter sports were cited as the top activity by more than 10%
of guests.
Table 4.--Most Popular Activities by Type of Lodging
|
|
Most Popular Activity
|
Second Most Popular Activity
|
|
Resort (216)
|
Fishing (52%)
|
Canoeing (15%)
|
|
Backcountry (191)
|
Canoeing (63%)
|
Fishing/Camping (12% each)
|
|
Campground (69)
|
Fishing (33%)
|
Camping (30%)
|
|
Motel/B&B (71)
|
Winter sports (19%)
|
IWC (17%)
|
|
Private Cabin (40)
|
Fishing (36%)
|
Canoeing (17%)
|
|
Guests of Friends/Family (14)
|
Fishing(27%)
|
Relaxing/Socializing (20%)
|
|
Day Trip (33)
|
Fishing (51%)
|
Canoeing (8%)
|
Because most tourists in Ely engage in outdoor activities, the
seasons also affect vacation behavior (Table 5). Winter season
tourists, for example, tend not to travel as great a distance
to visit Ely, nor do they stay as long. Some 79% of winter tourists
live within 400 miles of Ely, compared to 52% for summer tourists
and 68% for spring and fall tourists. Only 6% live more than 1000
miles away, compared to 15% for those traveling in the spring,
summer and fall. Once in Ely, only 11% stay more than three nights,
compared to 67% of summer tourists and 36% of spring/fall tourists.
These differences are probably due to several factors. The school
year encourages longer summer vacations, and summer vacations
in Ely are more popular, since most people prefer to camp, canoe
and fish when the weather is warm.
Table 5.--Seasonal Differences in Vacation
Behavior
|
|
Median Distance
|
Median Number of Nights
|
Median Dollars/Party
|
Median Dollars/ Person/Day
|
|
Summer Tourists (474)
|
450
|
6
|
$400
|
$23
|
|
Spring/Fall Tourists (104)
|
282
|
3
|
$200
|
$20
|
|
Winter Tourists (55)
|
250
|
2
|
$250
|
$31
|
Although off-season (winter, spring and fall) tourists spend
less money in Ely than do summer visitors, the difference is less
than one might expect considering their shorter lengths of stay.
Furthermore, personal daily expenditures are one-third higher
for winter tourists--undoubtedly because the great majority of
winter visitors prefer to pay for the pleasure of eating and sleeping
indoors. Indeed, motels and B&Bs account for 31% of winter
lodging business, compared to 8% in the summer. For obvious reasons,
campgrounds and the backcountry drop from 45% in the summer to
34% in the spring and fall to a mere 7% in the winter. In all
seasons, however, resorts dominate, providing 34% of all lodging
in the summer, 28% in the spring and fall, and 40% in the winter.
The activities which draw tourists to Ely in the spring and fall
are not markedly different from those which are main attractions
in the summer. Fishing and canoeing remain most popular, cited
as their main activity by 25% and 27% of respondents, respectively.
Hiking, however, rose in popularity from 4% to 12%, mainly at
the expense of fishing and canoeing. Winter tourists, of course,
go to Ely for very different activities (Table 6).
Table 6.--Winter Activities
n=55
|
Cross-country skiing
|
35%
|
|
Snowmobiling
|
13%
|
|
Winter Camping
|
11%
|
|
Relaxing/Family or Friends
|
13%
|
|
International Wolf Center
|
7%
|
|
Ice Fishing
|
4%
|
|
Other*
|
18%
|
*Includes a hockey tournament, dogsledding, shopping, etc.
Off-season tourists tend to have levels of education and income
roughly similar to those of summer visitors. The most notable
difference concerns graduate school work; only 24% of off-season
tourists have graduate experience compared to 32% for summer tourists.
Once again, though, higher education levels are not synonymous
with higher incomes. More winter tourists are high-income; 85%
have household incomes of more than $40,000, compared to 74% (summer)
and 63% (spring/fall) for tourists in warmer months. This may
be due to the more expensive nature of a winter vacation, since
fewer tourists enjoy low-cost camping in the winter than in the
summer.
Unlike many vacation destinations of national repute, such as
Yellowstone National Park (Cooperative Extension Service 1989:2),
Ely and the BWCA rely to a great extent on repeat business. Half
(51%) of all Ely tourists sampled reported a previous visit to
the area since June 1993.1 Canoeists (54%) and fishermen
(53%) were most likely to have recently visited Ely, compared
to 47% for hikers and only 33% for campers. These differences
are all the more interesting considering that canoeists and fishermen
are more likely to travel longer distances to visit Ely. Indeed,
many of those tourists who had traveled 600 miles or more were
Ely regulars, with 45% reporting a recent previous visit. In the
same vein, resort guests (56%) and backcountry visitors (56%)
were likely to have recently visited the area. Only tourists staying
at private cabins (66%) showed a higher return rate, though even
their rate is not as high as might be expected. Tourists staying
at motels/B&Bs; (43%) and with family or friends (33%) appeared
least likely to be Ely regulars.
Of all the approaches to the question of repeat visits, a seasonal
analysis shows the most pronounced differences. Among summer tourists,
49% had been to Ely in the preceding two years, but the proportion
rises to 73% for winter visitors. Since Ely draws from a smaller
"tourism shed" in the winter, it seems logical that people living
relatively close would be more likely to have visited the area
in the recent past.
Footnotes
1Two methods of estimation were used to determine these
figures.
1) Survey results indicate that about 30% of all Ely tourists visit
the IWC. Since 48,000 people visited the IWC in 1995, total Ely
tourists would number 160,000.
2) About 30% of all Ely tourists spent the majority of their vacation
in the BWCA backcountry. According to U.S. Forest Service records,
about 12,200 overnight paddle permits, with an average group size
of four, were granted in the Ely area. Thus, if 49,000 overnight
visitors to the backcountry represent 30% of all tourists, total
Ely tourists would then number 163,000.
2These data are taken from the IWC's Visitors' Register.
While neither a random sample nor representing all Ely tourists,
it is a useful dataset to use. The distribution pattern closely
resembles that of survey data and, with nearly 15,000 data points--far
more than the survey--reveals much more comprehensive information--an
important attribute for geographic data.
3This date marks the opening of the IWC as well as representing
a convenient benchmark to identify Ely "regulars."
